Tag Archives: labor

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 07 – 08 July 2014: “After 2008, everything went down.” “…a big slap in the face…!” Obamacare causes cops to go on strike! States give massive tax breaks to corporations, but get no real job creation in return! Energizer bunny continues to lose power! More proof of crashing real estate market!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Newly created United Continental (aka United, formerly Illinois based United Airlines and Texas based Continental Airlines) announced it is killing 630+ union jobs at airports across the U.S.   The airline company says they will now use cheaply paid sub-contracted workers.   Some airports affected are Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Pensacola, Detroit, Honolulu, Denver, Dulles, Buffalo-Niagara and Des Moines

Alabama:  Law firm Johnston Barton Proctor & Rose has been involuntarily dissolved by a creditor.  Attorney’s for the law firm are challenging the involuntary chapter 7 bankruptcy.  It’s the second major law firm in Alabama to go down the toilet this year.

Arizona:   Obama Care forced University of Arizona Health Network to sell itself to Phoenix based Banner Health.  Now there are reports this is a portent for things to come in the U.S. medical school sector.  The Association of American Medical Colleges warns that Obama Care’s reduced insurance reimbursements is the final straw that will force medical schools to sell themselves to private medical corporations, or greatly reduce their services to the public, either way it means massive healthcare job cuts.  In Tucson, wrought iron maker La Buhardilla announced it will shutdown by the end of the year, after 28 years of business.  The owner is blaming health problems and crashing sales.  And after 15 years furniture store Casa Colonial shutdown.  The owner, Omar Merheb, says his business never recovered: “After 2008, everything went down.”  

California:  In Santa Monica, despite doing the soundwork for The Avengers, Iron Man 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Despicable Me 2 and Agro, Pacific Coast Post shutdown, 20 jobs lost.  Also, post production studio Soundelux chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 100 jobs lost!  In Fresno, Mexico based Bimbo Bakeries announced they are laying off 73 employees in September.  In Los Angeles, McDonald’s announced it is shutting down a restaurant in August, 55 jobs lost.  LA based clothing retailer American Apparel has been declared in default for a $10-million USD loan.   In Santa Ana, ITT Cannon laying off seven employees in September.  In Torrance, Obama Care forcing American Medical Response of Southern California to shutdown in November, 120 healthcare jobs lost!

Florida: Who said the internet is killing brick-n-mortar businesses?  Gainsville based internet music service Grooveshark laid off an undisclosed number of employees, and cut pay for their remaining employees by 18%.  Some reports say it’s the result of repeated legal actions by music companies.

Illinois: State employment officials say they’ve recently received notices from dozens of employers that 1700 people will become unemployed over the next six months!  In Springfield, AT&T announced they will kill 188 jobs in August!  No reason was given.  In McCook, Source Interlink killing 244 jobs!  It’s blamed on the demise of the country’s largest magazine distributor-publisher.

Kansas: In Wichita, Kroger owned Dillions shutdown two stores, at least 100 jobs lost!  The Red Beans Bayou Grill shutdown without notice.  The owner is now focusing on catering only.

Massachusetts:  The city of Fall River laying off 29 firefighters.

Michigan:  More bad news for the failed state system known as Detroit.  Taxsucker SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) warned it could kill at least 123 jobs and shutdown 30 public transportation routes by 2015!  Transit officials blame crashing taxpayer funding from federal, state and local sources.  SMART funding is also directly connected to funding for Detroit Department of Transportation which is being reduced, however, they say the biggest tax funding loss is coming from local property tax revenues, which is being caused by the crashing housing market.  In Saginaw, after only eight months the Lettuce Lounge Eatery shutdown.  It’s just more proof humans aren’t rabbits, however the operators of the veg restaurant blame it on the greedy owners of the shopping plaza where they’re located.

Missouri: Town & Country based Energizer batteries announced they will shutdown a Canadian factory by 2017, killing 430 jobs in the British empire (Commonwealth of Nations) country!  Apparently they sold the factory to Johnson & Johnson.  In April 2014 Energizer announced it will split into two companies, resulting in hundreds more job losses in the United States.  Since 2012 Energizer has killed 1500 jobs!  In Earth City, Ireland based legal drugs pusher Actavis announced they will shutdown a drugs factory next year, 200 jobs lost! Reports say another 190 jobs in Saint Louis will be affected!  It’s connected to the Actavis takeover of Forest Laboratories.

New York: Crumbs Bake Shop shut down all 48 stores across several states, without notice!  The cupcake store is now chapter 7 bankrupt busted, apparently the cupcake thing was just a fad, in the past year the company’s stock value fell from $13 per share to just 27 cents!  In NYC, after 76 years Bowlmor Lanes in Union Square shutdown.  In Latham, amusement park Hoffman’s Playland shutdown.  It turns out the owners can make more money re-developing the property as something else!

North Carolina: British empire Australia owned insurance company, QBE North America, shutting down their Morrisville call center, 107 jobs lost by 2015!  Local news reports say the British empire company refused to say why.  Charlotte based snack maker Snyder’s-Lance warned it will start killing jobs, after it sold off its private brands ops and took over Wisconsin based Baptista’s Bakery.

Ohio: Charter One Financial has been reduced from dozens to just two bank offices, it’s blamed on parent company Citizens Financial.  The idiot ‘elected’ officials of the Buckeye State have given corporations $63-million in tax breaks from 2012 through 2013, and $65-million through July 2014!  Those businesses claim they’ve create 43-thousand jobs as a result of the tax breaks.  Big whoop-de-shit! Here’s a dose of reality; in November 2013 Ohio led the nation in job losses, 12-thousand!  In August 2013 Ohio lost 8-thousand jobs!  But wait, there’s more; in March 2013 Ohio lost 20-thousand 4-hundred jobs!   But wait, even more; according to state and federal government data Ohio lost 241-thousand 3-hundred jobs between 2007-09!  And don’t forget that Ohio has been losing jobs every year in between, in other words all those tax breaks to businesses have done nothing to reverse the massive job destruction in the Buckeye State.

South Carolina: After 35 years North Area Taxi now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Tennessee: In Chattanooga, after only two years wine bar Brix Nouveau shutdown.  The owner blamed “several factors”.  In Memphis, Obama Care pissed off 404 cops who went on strike!  City of Memphis officials say Obama Care has jacked up the cost of employee insurance so much that they’re forced to reduce how much the city pays, meaning employees will have to pay a greater share of their insurance costs.  Hey you cops, don’t get mad at your employer, get mad at insurance industry authored Obama Care!

Pennsylvania: What real estate market recovery?  Shopping center owner Pennsylvania REIT laid off about 10 employees.  The commercial property owner said they are responding to “changing consumer dynamics”.   In Peckville, after 50 years PJ’s Home Center shutdown, the owner demanded to know where the economic recovery was!

Vermont:  What real estate market recovery?  The city of Brandon is dealing with crashing tax revenues and as such is warning of slashed funding for public services and the possibility of layoffs.  The town treasurer says the crashing tax revenues are the result of unpaid property taxes.

Wisconsin:  After shutting down without notice in June, the Wisconsin International School is now officially bankrupt busted.  This means all those parents that paid their child’s tuition in full will not get a refund.  Officials with the private school blame their sudden shutdown on an unexpected 30% drop in enrollment (more disappearing students), as well as a 30% drop in cash revenues and skyrocketing expenses due to things like utilities and healthcare cost increases (so much for Obama Care)!  At one point the school boasted 800 students, but this year they could attract only 120!  Parents are pissed because they were also required to take part in raising money for the school, and they want to know what happened to it: “That’s a big slap in the face to all the efforts we’ve put in!  At no time were we ever told ‘Hey, we have a problem’ or that more money needed to be raised.  Volunteering at the school was mandatory and parents were invested in the school.  If they had said something, I am sure parents and families would have opened their pockets.”-Nicole Donart-Manty

04 – 06 July 2014: “It’s slowly dying…”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 04 – 06 July 2014: “It’s slowly dying…” “It’s…a losing proposition.” “We’re kind of tired…” WIC killing businesses! Home Depot kills new store due to construction costs! More massive Obamacare shutdowns!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: The city of Juneau eliminated 12 positions, due to being $6-million USD in debt.  The hours for the library and museum were cut, and the bear awareness program was suspended, along with the adult basketball league.  City officials say that even with the cuts next year they’ll have $9-million in debt!

Arizona: Phoenix based Peter Piper Pizza chain now up for auction.  The restaurant chain was taken over seven years ago by an international ‘investment’ company headquartered in Washington DC.  Some restaurant industry analysts say there’s just too many restaurants out there.

California: More trouble for Irvine based for profit Corinthian Colleges (CCi).  They’ve announced they will begin shutting down, selling off or reducing classes at 97 campuses across the U.S., over the next six months!  It’s part of a deal with the U.S. Department of Education.  The college is under investigation by state and federal officials, for ripping off students and violating federal education laws.  Everest College, Heald College and Wyotech campuses are part of the shutdown.   In San Pablo, West Contra Costa Healthcare District- Doctors Medical Center announced they’re shutting down in September, 832 healthcare jobs lost!  In San Francisco, for the third time Home Depot killed off its planned Bayview store.  This time Home Depot officials blame it on skyrocketing costs of construction (they should know).

Florida: Glades Brewery Partners and Palm Beach Brewery Associates now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  They own a restaurant chain called Brewzii, and recently a judge actually shutdown one of the restaurants for failure to pay rent.

Georgia: In Augusta, after 25 years Thai Jong restaurant shutdown: “We’re kind of tired…”-Lephuong Tran, co-owner

Illinois: After 94 years (surviving several recessions and the Great Depression) Gayety’s Chocolates & Ice Cream stores now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It’s blamed on the bad economy, but the owners swear they’ll make a come back.

Indiana: In Bedford, Planned Parenthood announced the shutdown of their health clinic.  It’s blamed on Obama Care actually raising the cost of providing medical services!

Iowa: In Clinton, North Carolina based Evergreen Packaging shutting down by September, 100 jobs lost!  Company officials blame the bad economy.

Maine: In Waterville, after 30 years Bolley’s Famous Franks restaurant shutdown: “I just want less stress.”-Zena McFadden, co-owner

Michigan:  Legal fees for Detroit‘s chapter 9 bankruptcy have hit $75-million, and the taxpayers get to pay for it!  Retail store owners are going public, saying the WIC (Women Infants Children) taxpayer funded food program is killing their business.  Apparently state Department of Community Health (DCH) is now limiting reimbursements for rural WIC sales, based on postal zip code.  And in urban areas DCH will allow only 175 WIC customers per store.  Roy Rabban, the owner of a Save-A-Lot, is pissed: “Not having WIC is like taking 10% of your business out of your pocket.  I’m getting penalized…”

Missouri: What economic recovery?  State tax revenues dropped by $80-million, the first time since 2010.   That means some heavy cuts are coming, as out of touch political leaders were expecting tax revenues to actually go up by several hundreds of millions!

New Jersey: Sun National Bank-Sun Bancorp shutting down dozens of offices and killing at least 200 jobs!  The FDIC says the bank has lost money every year since 2009.

North Carolina: In Havelock, an 18 years old Food Lion grocery store shutting down in October.  Company officials said the high rent killed it off.   After 20 years the Crooked Creek Golf Club shutting down.  The owners are selling it off due to the bad economy: “It’s just economically a losing proposition.”-Tony Withers, co-owner

Texas: In Waco, after 147 years (surviving several recessions and the Great Depression) iconic Padgitt’s shutdown!  The store opened in the late 1800s selling gear to cowpokes, recently they were trying to stay relevant by selling electronic gadgets, but the current co-owner Chris Schroeder says “We just couldn’t make enough to stay in business.”   God refused to stop the ‘Christian’ operator of the taxpayer owned Ambrosio Guillen Veterans Home from becoming chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Senior Dimensions-Sears Methodist Retirement System swears their bankruptcy won’t affect the care of military veterans.  However, an unnamed insider told a local news source that “They’re not doing what they’re supposed to do. Things were going real good a year ago. Not now.” 

Washington DC:  The taxsucking  Government Printing Office is asking 100 employees to voluntarily quit.  The GPO has actually killed 70% of its jobs since 1980!  Watergate Wine & Beverage store now bankrupt busted and shutting down.  The owner, Joseph Park, said regarding the economy that since 2006 “It’s slowly dying…..the business is just not here.”

Wisconsin: In Menomonee Falls, metal fabricator ArcRon shutting down in time for Xmas, 42 jobs lost.

02 – 03 July 2014: “This would be a worst case scenario…”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 02 – 03 July 2014: “This would be a worst case scenario…” God can’t stop the bad economy! “…please continue to pray…” Military contractor admits U.S. forces inside Iran? More Obamacare job cuts!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Who said the internet is killing brick-n-mortar businesses?  In San Francisco, ebay owned internet movie-concert ticket seller StubHub! killed 100 jobs! Company officials refused to comment to local news sources.  In Orange, Children’s Hospital of Orange County killed another 89 jobs.  This is on top of the 61 layoffs in June and the 20 layoffs in May, for a grand total of 170 in three months!  Hospital officials say job layoffs are the only way they can deal with decreasing insurance payments caused by Obama Care.  In Petaluma, Massachusetts based Brooks Automation announced they’re shutting down in October, 89 jobs lost.

Colorado: In Loveland, the Family Tree Restaurant shutdown and the owners are pissed about the bad economy saying “We don’t have enough customers to pay our bills, so we’re closing our doors! ….it’s stupid…..We did our crying….”  Also, it was discovered that the Red Dragon restaurant shutdown in June, the property was sold off back in May.  Also, the Great Wall Chinese Buffet could be shutting down due to the fact the greedy property owner is trying to sell off the building.  However, the restaurant owner swears “We’re not going anywhere!”

Hawaii: In Waikiki, Capital One shutting down their 360 Cafe in August.  The property is owned by California based  American Commercial Equities and might have been sold off.  In Honolulu, after only five years Cake Couture shutdown, not surprising when they were charging $3.50 for a little cupcake.

Maryland: In Silver Springs, after 64 years Dale Music Company shutdown.  The co-owner blamed the bad economy and greedy property developers: “We have done what we can. It would be too expensive to move, and with Silver Spring redevelopment happening now, we decided it was best to close our doors.”-Carol Warden

Massachusetts: In Woburn, the Sea Dog Brew Pub now chapter 7 bankrupt busted, and shutdown without notice.

Michigan: Thomas M. Cooley Law School warned of major employee and program cuts, due to disappearing students.  They reported a 40% drop in enrollment from 2010 to 2013!

Missouri: Medicare reviewer Primaris warned of massive layoffs due to Obama Care, starting in August.  Company officials say the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act caused them to loose a $5-million USD contract!

New Mexico:  Los Alamos National Laboratory contractor and U.S. taxsucker and Mormon owned Energy Solutions killed 115 jobs!  Company officials swear it has nothing to due with the explosion at the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP).    By the way, back in 2005 Energy Solutions founder and LDS member, Steve Creamer, actually lobbied the state of Utah to ban nuclear ‘B’ and ‘C’ waste storage in the Beehive State!  Is that ironic or hypocritical?

New York: What automotive industry recovery?  Manhattan Ford Lincoln announced they’re shutting down in September, 245 jobs lost!  In Albany, RiverSource Life Insurance announced they’re shutting down and moving to Minnesota, 29 jobs lost.  Company officials blame the bad economy in the Empire State.  Also, Newkirk Products announced they are moving 76 jobs out-o-state in October.  In Bronx, IAC Acoustics announced they’re shutting down in November, 101 jobs lost!  In NYC, The New York Times reports that the Wall Street Journal killed up to 40 jobs.  Eastern Niagara Hospital laying off 60 healthcare workers.  Officials blame Obama Care for forcing them to consolidate ops with another hospital: “Healthcare is undergoing a very significant change. Hospitalizations are decreasing and work is shifting to outpatient care, so we are reacting to the shifts that are occurring.”-Clair Haar, CEO

North Carolina: In Raleigh, after 47 years the city’s first Dunkin’ Donuts shutdown.  The owners said their franchise agreement expired in December 2013, and they just can’t afford to renew it.

Ohio: In Tipp City, after two years of bragging that it was about to add 500 jobs, Process Equipment actually killed 70 jobs.  Back in 2012 the fabrication company was in trouble, so one of the partner-owners spent his own money buying the company in order to save it.  He thought he had some big contracts lined up so he announced he was about to buy new property and hire hundreds of new employees, but apparently that all fell through due to the bad economy.  Now Process Equipment is shutting down its equipment, gear and robotic welding services lines.  In Dayton, the Dayton Mall and the Mall at Fairfield Commons are both up for sale.  They are the biggest malls in the city.

Oregon: Texas based Berry Family of Nurseries announced they’re shutting down their Cornelius ops in September, at least 100 jobs lost!  Company officials blame it on crashing sales to their clients Lowe’s, Home Depot and Walmart.

Pennsylvania: New Obama Care medical device taxes forcing Johnson & Johnson to kill 400 jobs with its DePuy Synthes medical device subsidiary!  The Prince Music Theater told its landlord that it will not be able to pay its rent for October.  Theater officials also said that unless they can find a lot of money fast they’re out-o-business.

Tennessee: In Nashville, the Green Wagon “sustainable” products store shutting down their brick-n-mortar ops and going mobile.  They’re shifting to a Green Wagon ‘food type’ truck and internet site. Apparently they can’t afford the rent and utilities of a old school store.

Texas:  In San Angelo, Tennessee based SITEL (Systems International TELemarketing) announced as many as 348 people will be laid off, saying “This would be a worst case scenario…”!  The company lost a major contract, officials said they could not reveal who the contract was with.

Virginia: Snack maker Prime Choice Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Company officials say the need a new ‘partner’ willing to make a big investment in order to survive bankruptcy.  In Roanoke County, taxsucking military contractor Exelis Night Vision and Communications Solutions killed 60 jobs.  Earlier this year the company laid off an undisclosed number of employees, and in the past three years they killed at least 800 jobs!  A local news report slipped up and reported that Exelis was supplying U.S. forces inside Iran: “Demand [for] the company’s night vision goggles and other products has dropped due to a reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq and Iran.”-WTOP 103.5 FM

Washington: In Redmond, after tens years award winning video game maker Airtight Games shutdown without notice. Earlier in the year 14 employees were laid off.  Company officials did not give a reason for their surprise shutdown, but did thank their fans.  God refused to stop Seattle based Mars Hill Church from killing jobs.  Officials with the mega-church blame the bad economy for a surprise crash in tithes: “…the budget crunch caught the executive elders by surprise and was related to a dramatic decline in attendance and giving…please continue to pray for the church as we navigate through a tough season.” 

Wisconsin: In Stevens Point, Copps and Roundy’s grocery distribution center shutting down in August, 196 jobs lost!  27 Roundy’s grocery stores were sold off to SuperValu.  The first Roundy’s was opened in 1872.

01 July 2014:  “30 minutes is a long time when you’re dying!” 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 01 July 2014: NASCAR killing jobs in favor of computers! More Obamacare killing hospitals, “30 minutes is a long time when you’re dying!”!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced it will shutdown 82 distribution centers beginning in January 2015, thousands of jobs lost!

The USPS Gateway Station (aka CSMPC) in Pocatello, Idaho, survived past shutdown threats but made the 2015 Phase 2 shutdown list, 50+ jobs lost.

It was leaked by insiders that National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) killed 20 jobs.  NASCAR officials refused to admit to the layoffs, but did admit they want to “modernize the company’s operations with technology”.   In other words, replace humans with computers.

The troubled Family Dollar store chain announced it will shutdown 30 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina, hundreds of jobs lost!  It’s part of the company’s plans to shutdown 370 stores across the U.S.!

Generation mPower nuclear power project has killed 100 jobs across several east coast states (at one point officials said 211 people would become unemployed)!  Generation mPower is a joint nuclear power project by Bechtel and Babcock & Wilcox.  In 2011 they got some state funding, but since then have been relying on private funding, which dried up at the end of 2013.  Efforts to sell a majority stake in the nuke op failed in February.    Bechtel and Babcock & Wilcox said they need a minimum $15-million per year to keep the project running.

Arkansas: Washington Regional Medical Center laid off 27 healthcare workers, directly blaming Obama Care.  Hospital officials blame the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for causing the hospital a loss of $8.75-million USD!

California: In Universal City, reports that movie studio DreamWorks killed as many as 50 jobs, with no warning.  In Palmdale, maker of hydraulic and fuel systems Crissair announced they’re shutting down in September, 170 jobs lost!  It’s part of their consolidations after their takeover of Canyon Engineering last year.

Colorado: Another crappy Old Navy clothing store shutting down, 75 jobs lost.  A Pueblo Jack in the Box restaurant shutdown, 50 jobs lost.  A sign said it was being replaced with a new “concept”.

Idaho: In Pocatello, the USPS Gateway Processing Center made the shutdown list for 2015, about 50 jobs lost.

Florida: In Miramar, marketing company Red Ventures shutting down in September, 255 jobs lost!  The company is consolidating ops into South Carolina.

Massachusetts:  In Foxborogh, after six years Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro now chapter 7 bankrupt and deceased.  The owners blame the suck ass economy: “The combination of a weak economy, high and persistent unemployment, and high staff turnover has led us to this difficult decision.” 

New Hampshire: Franklin Pierce University eliminated 12 positions. Earlier this year the university eliminated academic programs.

New York: In Rochester, Nick Tahou Hots restaurant shutdown.

North Carolina: In Durham,  Datrose Industries shutting down its Technical Response call center, 167 jobs lost!  They lost a major contract.  In Belhaven, Vidant Pungo Hospital shutdown without notice: “Closing this hospital means everybody takes another 30 minutes to get emergency help. 30 minutes is a long time when you’re dying!”-Adam O’Neal, mayor

Hospital officials point out they are building a new 24 hours clinic (which is more cost effective under Obama Care), and they also pointed out that city officials failed to take part in negotiations: “The Town’s recent accusations only serve to disguise the fact that it has failed to fulfill its obligations as outlined by the mediation agreement…… the lack of response made it apparent that the Town knew that it did not have a plan to take over hospital operations…….The mediation agreement clearly stated that the Town of Belhaven was required to work with Pantego Creek, LLC, for use of the hospital property. To our knowledge, the Town never contacted Pantego Creek prior to June 11.”

Texas: In Dallas (Oak Lawn), after 22 years Good Eats shutdown.  The owners blame the greedy property owner saying “our landlord has refused to renew our lease”.  In Austin, the Pour House Pub shutdown.  The property is being demolished for a big retail development.

Virginia:  Buchanan County Public School Board shutting down Russell Prater Elementary School.  It’s blamed on $2.1-million in debt.

28 – 30 June 2014: Massive auto parts store shutdown, despite massive taxpayer funding! 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 28 – 30 June 2014: Massive auto parts store shutdown, despite massive taxpayer funding! More proof the internet is not killing brick-n-mortar stores! Global mining industry continues to crash!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona:  The U.S. Army is proposing to kill 2700 jobs at Fort Huachuca, due to crashing tax revenues caused by the suck ass economy!   Despite being home to a U.S. Marine Corps Air Station and a U.S. Army Proving Grounds, Yuma has the highest unemployment rate in the U.S. at 26.5%!

California:  Despite being a major agricultural center, El Centro has the second highest rate of unemployment in the U.S., at 21.1%!  In Brisbane, upscale snooty women’s clothing chain Bebe admitted they killed jobs with their stores across the U.S., but refused to say how many.  In Glendale, after 29 years Brand Bookshop shutdown.   In Mountain View, Symantec revealed they killed another 51 jobs back on 18 June.   For some reason they didn’t file their WARN until 30 June, and the state says they didn’t get it until 01 July.  In Modesto, cereal maker Post announced they’re shutting down in September, 58 jobs lost.

Florida: In Gainsville, after 56 years Central Florida Office Plus shutdown.  The owners blame local hospitals and government agencies for shifting their office supply purchases to the big box national chain stores.   After 47 years Crevasse’s Regency Florist shutdown.  After 28 years, Grandy’s restaurant announced they’re shutting down in August.

Illinois: In Quincy, after 134 years (surviving dozens of recessions and the Great Depression) Geo. Keller & Sons shutdown, 21 jobs lost.  Family owners said their sales have been crashing for too many years in a row.

Iowa: In Davenport, after years of taking over competing printing ops, and making public announcements proclaiming everything was wine-n-roses, after 40 years Brandt printing shutdown.  Reports said some employees would get lucky and be offered jobs with another company in Hiawatha.

Massachusetts: In Springfield, after 79 years (and surviving the Great Depression) The Student Prince Café & Fort Dining Room shutdown.  It was sold off.

Missouri:  Ironically the Republican controlled legislature passed a huge taxpayer funded spending bill despite the fact that tax revenues can’t support it.  Then, even more ironically, the Democrat governor vetoed the bill precisely because tax revenues are crashing!  Unfortunately (but realistically) this means massive layoffs of state government employees beginning in July.

Nevada: Gambling machine maker Bally Technologies killing 270 jobs!  Blame it on the company’s officials who spent $1.3-million USD taking over a rival gambling machine maker (International Game Technology, who also killed jobs).

New York: NYC based international internet marketing company Razorfish laid off at least 100 employees, many in Illinois and Georgia.  In Utica, after 17 years the Kniffin Center-Family Place shutting down in July.  In Batavia, after at least 69 years Flowers by Dick Burton shutdown.  The owners blame crashing sales.  Scotsman Media Group shutting down printing ops in Syracuse and Chenango Bridge, 90 jobs lost.  What housing market recovery?  REIT Management & Research announced they are shutting down some ops across New York, 28 property management jobs lost.   In New Hyde Park, the Stop & Shop Supermarket announced they’re shutting down in September, 162 jobs lost!

North Carolina: Phone service company MIG now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Apparently the U.S. based company doesn’t really provide cell phone service, they make their money off another company based in the Republic of Georgia (not the U.S. state of Georgia).  That company is called MagtiCom, and as a result of a legal dispute MIG has had all their expected $18.4-million in dividends from MagitCom suspended!   In Gastonia, after 40 years childcare center Belvedere Playhouse shutdown.

Oregon: In Forest Grove, Izgara Middle Eastern Cuisine shutdown.  The Jewish owners said they already bought their airline tickets to Florida.

Utah: Denmark based mining-cement engineering company FLSmidth & Co laid off 78 people in the Beehive State.  Company officials blame it on the across-the-board global crash in mining sales.

Virginia: In Natural Bridge, after 37 years the Wax Museum shutting down in September.  The area was sold to the State Parks, and they are not interested in operating the Civil War themed wax museum.   What automotive industry recovery?  Roanoke based Advanced Auto Parts announced they’re shutting down 100 stores across the U.S.!  And that’s just the beginning, officials calling it their “first round” of store closings!  Thousands of  jobs will be lost!  It’s the result of their takeover of rival Carquest-General Parts last year (company officials say there are just far too many auto parts stores in the U.S., and they need to be culled).   But wait, there’s more!  Advanced Auto was awarded $17.4-million in taxpayer incentives, if they created 600 new jobs in Virginia!  One news report said many of those ‘new’ jobs will actually be former Carquest employees simply re-hired by Advanced Auto.

26 – 27 June 2014: “…it’s time to bail out!”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 26 – 27 June 2014: “…will never recover…” “…it’s time to bail out!” 77% drop in profits kills 2100 jobs in one day! No more Five Guys? Montana business is prime example of how deep the corporate rabbit hole goes!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: The Kake Gunnuk Creek hatchery shutdown.

Arkansas: God refused to stop all powerful Obama Care from forcing Catholic owned CHI Saint Vincent (aka Saint Vincent Health) to kill 157 healthcare jobs!

California: State employment officials said for the months of April, May and June they’d received layoff and shutdown notices affecting at least 13005 people!   In Hemet, the 40 years old Kmart announced it will shutdown, 77 jobs lost.  In Oakland, Dobake Bakeries announced they will shutdown in August, 221 jobs lost!  In Los Angeles, Wolfgang Puck announced it will kill 76 jobs in July.  In Atwater, AT&T Mobility announced they will shutdown in August, at least 397 jobs lost!  In Pittsburg, United Spiral Pipe announced 44 layoffs planned for August.  In Barstow, MV Transportation announced 30 layoffs for August.  In Montebello, Katzkin Leather announced 75 layoffs for August.

Colorado: In Fort Collins, after 19 years Colorado Drum & Percussion  shutdown: “The economic downturn in 2009 really took a toll on the business, and we never fully recovered….”-Clark Bennett, owner

Florida: Click HERE to see a list of crashing and burning HMOs (no thanks to Obama Care).  What housing market recovery?  RealtyTrac says the Sunshine State has the second highest “zombie foreclosure” rate in the U.S.   Zombie foreclosure means the occupant believes the home is being foreclosed on, then moves out, but the foreclosure takes so long that sometimes it’s forgotten by the banks, or sometimes there never was a true foreclosure filed, and you end up with neighborhoods filled with vacant homes.  Speaking of foreclosure, the Old Jupiter mobile home park seized by Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo.   In Broward County the company that runs the local Five Guys burger joints, ASCI Broward, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 120 jobs threatened!  It’s blamed on a lawsuit filed by investors.

Illinois:  Chicago Public Schools laid off 1150 employees!  School officials claim the layoffs are the lowest in the past five years!  The job killing is blamed on the ever increasing number of disappearing students and a new per-pupil funding formula.

Indiana: In Plainfield, document manager Novitex Enterprise Solutions (aka Pitney Bowes Management Services) announced it will shut down in September, 155 jobs lost!  Last year the same company shutdown their warehouse, killing 137 jobs!

Kansas: In Derby, the maker of industrial technologies (including those designed to replace human workers) Q Corporation now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  71 of the 75 employees have been laid off.  Local news media also discovered the Q Corporation building is now up for sale.  Q Corporation was created in 1969, its downfall is being blamed on the owners.  In 2011, Q Corporation took advantage of state taxpayer funding to re-train about half its employees.  In 2009 a group of employees took over the company, and recently they tried selling it to some vulture capitalists in Chicago, however that deal fell through.  The bankruptcy revealed the former employees turned company owners have pushed the company into $1-million USD of debt.  God can’t stop Christian non-profit Ottawa University from laying off 18 employees.  School officials say the layoffs are “a preventive measure” against the growing number of disappearing  (raptured?) students.   The federal terrorist, I mean tax collector known as IRS placed a lean against aviation subcontractor Machining Programming Manufacturing.  The IRS claims the company never sent in the payroll taxes it collected from its employees!

Louisiana: After 55 years the Piccadilly Cafeteria in the Westmoreland Village Shopping Center shutdown.  Does it have something to do with the new Catholic owners of the shopping center, or the new New York based owners of the Piccadilly chain?

Massachusetts:  In Easton, after 60 years McMenamy’s Hamburger House shutdown.  The building was sold.  In Haverhill, Archie’s Little River Ale House shutdown.

Minnesota: There are reports that the international food giant General Mills has a secret cost cutting (job killing?) plan in the works, due to crashing sales.

Missouri: In Saint Louis, after 12 years Lemmons Bar & Club shutdown, the owner Mike Gross explained that “When all you can see is the negatives and you can’t see the positives, it’s a good indication that it’s time to bail out!”  In Neosho, after 58 years Premier Turbines Manufacturing shutting down in 2015, no reason given other than the company has been experiencing “turmoil”, 80 jobs lost.  Children’s mental-health facility, Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center in Cape Girardeau, shutting down in January due to state and federal (Obama Care) taxpayer funding cuts, 95 jobs lost.   Ozarks Community Hospital announced: “Beginning today, we are providing notice to employees that we are laying off as many as 60 employees in 60 days…….Even if Missouri expands Medicaid in the future, it will be virtually impossible for us to recapture this loss of capacity.  Hospitals cannot shrink and expand as readily as other industries.  I fear that Missouri will never recover the ground it is now losing statewide as a result of political posturing.”-Paul Taylor, CEO

Montana: More trouble for an appliance chain store originally founded in Montana.  In Bozeman Vann’s shutdown, it’s the fourth store to close since the company was sold off to Texas based McMagic Partners. This means there is only one store left!  When Vann’s was sold off it had five stores in Montana, now, according to local news reports only one remains (Hamilton, Kalispell and Missoula stores were shutdown in 2013, conveniently blamed on disagreements over rent). 150 employees affected by the shutdowns! To show you how deep corporate rabbit holes can go, the once Montana based Vann’s is now owned by Texas based McMagic Partners.  At the time of the sale of Vann’s the man responsible for the takeover, Ross Khaledi, was listed as the CEO of HK Global Trading.  Both HK Global Trading and McMagic Partners are owned by Florida based Khaledi Group Holding Company.  Khaledi Group Holding Company is described as a “family business” which owns about 38 companies, many involved in ‘duty free’ sales of appliances.    Also, in 2013 Vann’s employees sued their former CEO and CFO, alleging the executives spent company money for personal reasons, which forced the bankruptcy and sale of Vann’s in 2012.  During the 2012 bankruptcy sale here is what one of the then vice presidents of McMagic Partners said about Vann’s: “We intend to continue business and retain the employees. And rebuild the business in the marketplace.”-Alan Huxtable (proof you can’t trust any corporate official)

New Jersey: Yet another casino going down.  After 27 years the Caesars owned Showboat Atlantic City Hotel and Casino shutdown, 2100 employees out-o-work!  Union officials were upset because federal WARN law says employees are supposed to get 60 days notice.  The Showboat was making a profit, but officials with Caesars said for the first half of 2014 Showboat experienced a 77% drop in profits compared to the same time last year!  Warren based semiconductor and broadband company Anadigics announced it will kill 140 jobs across the U.S.!  It’s blamed on declining sales.

New York:  What housing market recovery? RealtyTrac says the Empire State has the highest “zombie foreclosure” rate in the U.S.   In Schenectady, Price Chopper killed 80 jobs. Company officials blamed, in part, Obama Care for creating “Skyrocketing health care costs…” for the company.   In Brooklyn, after nine years women’s boutique Pop shutdown.  The owner blames the rapidly changing socio-politico-business environment: “….it’s not the same place for a small business owner as it was even three years ago!”-Sheila Sharma

Oklahoma: In Stillwater, storage tank maker Total Energy Fabrication Corporation shutdown, 55 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on “significant operational challenges and weakening market conditions”, in other words there is no economic recovery.

Pennsylvania:  In Pottsgrove, the Kmart shutting down in September,  65 jobs lost.  Kindred Hospital’s North Side facility being sold off, 152 jobs lost!  The buyer, LifeCare Hospitals, told news media they have no intention of hiring on the Kindred employees.

Virginia:  Yet another coal mine shuts down, this time Alpha Natural Resources closed their Cherokee Mine, killing 121 jobs!

West Virginia: Patriot Coal laid off another 75 coal miners.  Back in April they laid off 100 miners!

Wisconsin: In De Pere, Wisconsin International School shutdown without notice!  Local news reports stated that teachers had not been paid!  Officials with the privately run grade school stated “The Wisconsin International School has closed due to declining enrollment and mounting financial pressures.” 

24 – 25 June 2014: “…..no one had our backs!”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

“…it’s not…reforming health care!”: Massive healthcare job destruction caused by Obamacare, 1st six months of 2014! California & New York lead the U.S. down the Death Spiral!

Incomplete list of healthcare  job cuts that took place, or were announced, from January to June 2014, and were directly or indirectly blamed on Obama Care:

Ireland based legal drugs pusher and medical device maker Mallinckrodt revealed they killed as many as 15% of their jobs at factories in Missouri and New York!

God refuses to stop all powerful Obama Care from forcing Catholic Mercy Health from killing 300 healthcare jobs across seven states: “Like all health care providers, Mercy is managing the impact of market changes, including reimbursement reductions from government and commercial payers, as well as lack of Medicaid expansion in most of the states we serve.”-Sonya Kullman, Mercy Springfield

Alabama:  Gadsden Etowah Emergency Medical Service now chapter 11 bankrupt busted!  Decatur Emergency Medical Service now chapter 11 bankrupt busted!  The Wiregrass Medical Center laid off 30 employees. The largest air ambulance service in the United States, Air Evac Lifeteam, shutdown Air Evac 64 operations in Wetumpka! Company officials directly blamed issues with Obama Care and the bad economy: “The reimbursement issue, along with a low demand for patient transports, made it impossible for us to sustain operations at the base. As a result of the state’s decision not to expand Medicaid, nearly a quarter of the residents we fly in Alabama are self-pay with very little means to pay medical expenses. For those patients covered by Medicaid, they currently reimburse just over $500 for the transport of an adult. The high fixed cost of air ambulance makes it impossible for us to continue to operate with no indication of improvement in sight. We’ve been taking a loss with this base for many years. This is an area where air medical services are needed and we wanted to provide this valuable resource for the people in this region. We’ve also seen a decline in commercial reimbursement rates, making Alabama the lowest state in our 15-state service area for reimbursement.” 

Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital shutdown its labor and delivery unit: “There’s a lot of good people that will lose their job due to no fault of their own……On a national level, we are dealing with the biggest change in the healthcare business since the implementation of Medicare in the 1960s!”-Mike Marshall, CEO

Alaska: Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation eliminated 160 positions! It’s blame on federal funding cuts for Indian Health Service, and Obama Care.  At the end of 2013 the hospital operator laid off 50 employees.

Arkansas: The Arkansas Children’s Hospital killed five top management jobs.  God refused to stop all powerful Obama Care from forcing Catholic owned CHI Saint Vincent to kill 157 healthcare jobs!

Arizona: Once profitable Gilbert Hospital is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

California:  According to local news reports, and no thanks to Obama Care, California’s Medi-Cal system pays the lowest reimbursements of any state in the Union!  RAS (Radiological Associates of Sacramento) shutdown operations in dozens of cities! RAS was re-consolidated into Sutter Health. Despite news media claiming nobody would lose their jobs, state WARN says differently; I counted 519 layoff WARN notices due to “Closure”!  In South Lake Tahoe, Barton Hospital warned of massive layoffs due to Obama Care, is offering employees bribes to voluntarily quit. Already 42 employees have volunteered to quit in May.   In Corona, legal drugs pusher Actavis laid off 56 employees.  Tulare County’s Office of Education’s Behavioral Health Services laid off 44 employees. 120 students with emotional problems or mental illness affected!  In Orange, Obama Care forced Children’s Hospital of Orange County to announce another 61 healthcare jobs to be cut, that’s on top of the 28 job cuts made in May.  Also in Orange, 152 jobs lost at Saint Joseph Hospital!  In Chino, biomedical laboratory instruments maker Beckman Coulter shutting down in December, 63 jobs lost.  In Pico Rivera, Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services finally notified the state that they killed 52 jobs, back in May. In Oakland, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center warned of massive 1584 layoffs by the end of July, it’s not clear if that’s on top of the 500+ already laid off (Becker’s Hospital Review ranks Alta Bates in 4th place for job killing)!  Also in Oakland, Sutter East Bay Hospital laid off at least 12 employees.  In Napa, Queen of the Valley Medical Center warned its 1365 employees of massive layoffs, blaming Obama Care!  President and CEO Walt Mickens stated “We must transform the way we provide health care and we must act now!”, while spokeswoman Vanessa deGier explained “There are already billions of reductions in Medicare reimbursements that are programmed as part of the Affordable Care Act. Every single hospital across the county is facing these same cuts!”   In Turlock, God can’t stop the all powerful Obama Care from killing 1354 healthcare jobs as Emanual Medical Center-Brandel Manor & Cypress of Emanual shuts down!  In Sylmar, God can’t stop the all powerful Obama Care from killing 274 jobs with Saint Jude Medical!   In Bakersfield, Kern Medical Center announced they must kill 111 healthcare jobs due to Obama Care! On top of that the taxpayer funded county hospital system shutdown their home health and outpatient physical therapy operations!  Kern Medical Center officials say Obama Care has already cost them $30-million USD!  In Davis, the Davis Healthcare Center shutdown, 142 jobs lost!   In Ontario, Landmark Medical Management killing 418 jobs in July!   In San Diego, Trius Therapeutics laid off at least 27 employees.  Salix Pharmaceuticals killed 200 jobs!  Germany based pharmaceutical supplier EMD Millipore (aka Merck Millipore) shutting down, 110 jobs lost!  Legal drugs pusher Optimer Pharmaceuticals laid off 21 employees. The Riverside Dental-Doctor Group killed 162 jobs!  Redwood Regional Medical Group killed 261 healthcare jobs across the not so Golden State!  In Mountain View, El Camino Hospital laid off 48 employees.   Metropolitan Medical laid off 22 employees at two hospitals. In Milpitas, Lifescan laid off nine employees.  In Pomona, Obama Care killing 187 healthcare jobs with Pomona Valley Hospital! Obama Care forcing Shire Regenerative Medicine to kill 301 jobs!   In San Marcos, worker’s comp specialist One Call Care Management laid off 70 people. In Temecula “a global leader in cardiac and vascular care”, Abbott Vascular (Sevo Site), laid off at least 157 people!  The operator of 19 nursing homes, Country Villa Health Services, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 2113 employees affected!  The Bellflower Medical Center killed 18 jobs.  In Tustin long term inpatient care center, Newport Specialty Hospital in danger of shutting down, 147 jobs affected!  In Pleasanton, ValleyCare Health System laid off 24 employees. In Lompoc, after 13 years the Zona Seca drug treatment center shutdown.  In Sunnyvale, Bayer Health Care laid off at least 41 employees.  In Irvine, Baxter Healthcare laid off 74 employees. In Hayward, Solta Medical device maker laid off 115 people! In Sacramento, Mercy General Hospital admitted they laid off employees, but refused to say how many.  In Sepestapol, Palm Drive Hospital laid off 80 people. Hospital CEO, Thomas Harlan, blames declining patients, and Obama Care for killing small hospitals saying “I don’t think any small hospital with the level of volume as low as ours will be able to survive long term…..” 

Colorado: Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) laid off more than 130 employees!  Banner Health shutdown its bariatric clinic at the North Colorado Medical Center, 850 patients adversely affected! Company officials admitted that under Obama Care bariatric services are no longer profitable.

Connecticut:  The city of Hartford warned of the elimination of 99 jobs, plus the jacking up of property taxes, and that’s after $18.1-million in spending cuts.  That’s because Obama Care (Affordable Care Act) is causing an $18.6-million increase in retirement and health insurance costs for city employees!  After 29 years William W. Backus Hospital shutdown their child care center, 12 jobs lost. They blame Obama Care for stealing $14-million in Medicare funding!   In Stamford, legal drugs pusher and maker of evil Oxycontin (which eastern Idaho pharmacists, and law enforcers, have publicly stated turns into morphine in your body) Purdue Pharma laid off 59 people. Another 41 employees being let go across the U.S.  Hartford HealthCare announced the elimination of 350 positions! Hospital officials had to cut $200-million from their budget, blaming Obama Care for “massive reductions in government reimbursement” and creating a 25% reduction in people seeking care at hospitals.  After 30 years, God refuses to stop Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center from drastically reducing the staff in their pediatric unit. Since October last year the hospital has been eliminating positions, by the end of June there will be only two support staffers on hand. It’s blamed on reduced customers as Obama Care insurance pushes people away from hospitals.

Florida: In Winter Haven, Medicare insurer Physicians United Plan now being liquidated. 300 jobs lost! 25-thousand Medicare recipients affected! So much for Obama Care!  Health Management Associates sold off, 400 jobs lost!  Orlando Health warned that Obama Care is forcing them to cut $58-million from their budget!

Georgia:  In Augusta, Massachusetts based inVentiv Medical Management shutting down, at least 50 jobs lost.  The Lower Oconee Community Hospital shutdown, at least 100 jobs lost! Despite Obama Care 23% of Wheeler Country residents have no health insurance. 10% are unemployed. 41% of the children live in poverty!  Karen O’Neal, the hospital’s CEO, said Obama Care “will create a Third World nation” out of rural America!  WellStar Health System eliminated 29 positions. It’s blamed on Obama Care: “The healthcare industry is going through unprecedented changes. There is uncertainty around every corner. In 2013, the U.S. government began cutting $113 billion from hospital payments over the next 10 years with $400 billion additional cuts under discussion. As a not-for-profit health system, we face an extraordinary challenge to plan for the future without knowing the payment mechanisms.”-David Anderson, VP HR

Hawaii: The Hilo Medical Center warned of Obama Care layoffs. The state run hospital says increased cost of operations plus decreased funding due to Obama Care is pushing them into the red by $48-million!  God can’t stop Obama Care from killing 110 home healthcare jobs with Saint Francis Healthcare System! The hospital system will also shutdown their hospice operation in Oahu.  Health care provider Kaiser Permanente killed 101 jobs!

Illinois: God refuses to stop all powerful Obama Care from forcing Saint John’s Hospital from laying off 43 employees.   Accretive Health warned that “restructuring” for Obama Care could kill more than 170 jobs!    It was revealed that Passages Hospice was forced to shutdown in February, 88 healthcare jobs lost.  Springfield based legal drugs pusher Walgreens announced it will shutdown 76 stores across the country! Company officials say they also need to cut expenses by $50-million by the end of 2015!  Blame it on drastically reduced government and insurance company reimbursements under Obama Care.   Cardinal Health laid off 75 employees. Harmony Health Plan killed 105 jobs!

Indiana: Parkview Whitley Hospital sold off a nursing home and will layoff 52 healthcare workers in September.   Obama Care killed 17 jobs at private Monroe Hospital.

Iowa: Genesis Health System laid off 80 employees. Company executives even cut their own pay. Yes, they blame Obama Care saying “We agree that health systems across the country are facing increasing challenges from changes in reimbursement levels…”  Mercy Medical Center laid off 29 employees. Hospital President Bob Ritz blames U.S. President Obama: “As the federal government and state payment systems continue to ratchet down on what they pay us and our costs go up, we have to look for opportunities to create cost efficiencies.”

Kentucky:  T.J. Samson Community Hospital eliminated up to 49 jobs, and reduced the pay for all their other employees.  God refuses to stop non-profit KentuckyOne Health from laying off an undisclosed number of employees. The company has 15-thousand employees across the United States. KentuckyOne Health is a conglomeration of non-profit hospitals (the primary member is Catholic Health Initiatives), they blame Obama Care for “a fundamental shift in the way health care is organized and delivered. We must change in order to sustain our purpose”.  Obama Care is forcing KentuckyOne Health to cut $218-million from their 2015 budget, and Obama Care has already caused them to lose at least $100-million in revenues!

Maine: Calais Regional Hospital announced they must kill an undisclosed number of jobs, and reduce the hours for 30% of remaining employees. They blame Obama Care for reducing the number of people going to hospitals for help.  In Portland, the non-profit Health Care for Homeless Clinic shutdown because the Obama regime cut its federal funding!

Maryland: Dimensions Healthcare System eliminated 62 positions at two hospitals. Employees say they received at least three notices from hospital officials stating that as many as 500 healthcare workers could lose their jobs by the end of the year! Hospital officials hope a partnership with University of Maryland Medical System will save them from Obama Care.  McCready Memorial Hospital began another round of layoffs. The number of jobs cut were not reported. Last year they killed dozens of healthcare jobs, and yes, it’s being blamed on Obama Care (Affordable Care Act).  MedStar Health killed 131 jobs!

Massachusetts: In Leominster, HealthAlliance Hospital announced more than160 Obama Care job cuts: “Given the dramatic and sweeping changes taking place nationally and regionally in health care, going forward, we will continue to review our staffing levels and make adjustments. We know that any workforce reduction involves real people and real jobs. These are difficult decisions…”-Deborah Weymouth, CEO

“We’re trying to keep up…with lower payment rates. We are trying to stay with it so we don’t slip into larger losses.”-Michael Cofone, former interim president of HealthAlliance

The Marlborough Hospital laid off ten employees and cut working hours for 31 others.  Medical device maker LeMaitre Vascular laid off 30 employees. ObamaCare created a new high tax on medical device makers. Medical device maker Invivo Therapeutics announced they will kill about one third of their jobs.  UMass Memorial Medical Center killed 103 jobs! This is on top of the 285 jobs killed between October and February! The hospital has to consolidate jobs in order to survive the Obama Care fiasco! On top of that the hospital will also eliminate I-V therapy, close three of its 17 operating rooms, close Memorial Campus West 1 unit, consolidate infusion services, reduce the number of beds at the Children’s Medical Center and sell off a building at 11 Shattuck Street!  Cambridge Health Alliance eliminated 30 positions.   In North Adams, after 129 years North Adams Regional Hospital now chapter 7 bankrupt busted, and shutting down, 530 jobs lost! VNA & Hospice and the Northern Berkshire Healthcare Physicians Group affected by the bankruptcy as well!  In Holyoke, the Geriatric Authority nursing home shutting down.

Michigan: The Detroit Institute for Children revealed they shutdown three outpatient clinics!  It’s blamed on “changes in the health care industry”.  27 jobs lost and 250 special needs children affected!  The Oaklawn Hospital killed 43 jobs, blaming Obama Care for a $5-million loss!  Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital laid off 25 employees. Hospital officials said job cuts are necessary “to position ourselves in healthcare reform”.  Mackinac Straits Health Systems eliminated 23 positions, reduced the hours for other employees, and even top managers are getting a 5% pay cut.  Lakeland Specialty Hospital Berrien Center shutdown!  The American Red Cross Detroit National Testing Lab shutdown, 118 jobs lost!  The South Haven Community Hospital shutdown its birthing unit, 19 jobs lost: “…the program [Obama Care] does not reimburse to the level where we can support the program.”-Joanne Urbanski, CEO   

Minnesota: The number one provider for in-office BPH therapy, Urologix, warned of layoffs due to Obama Care.  Urologix expects to lose $1.5-million!  The epilepsy floor of the United Hospital was shutdown, due to cuts in payments and increased costs caused by Obama Care! The operator of the hospital, Allina Health, revealed just how much Obama Care is killing the healthcare industry; in the 1st quarter of 2013 Allina Health had $22.3-million in operating income (profit after operating costs are subtracted, a little more specific than net profit). For the 1st quarter 2014 operating income crashed to just $449-thousand!  RiverView Health laid off eight employees, another eight were demoted in pay scale. This is on top of the 53 job eliminations at the end of 2013. Officials also warned that if they cannot survive the insurance cuts caused by Obama Care then the area’s only hospital will shutdown: “We have a perfect storm of declining volume…..deductibles and copayments continue to rise……our largest payers, including the federal government through Medicare, are balancing budgets through cuts in Medicare payments……recovering just 99 cents on every dollar we spend caring for a Medicare patient. That equates to a guaranteed loss of one percent for every patient who is Medicare eligible. For RiverView Health that is over one third of our business.”

Missouri: As a result of Obama Care, the largest pharmacy benefit management company in the U.S., Saint Louis based Express Scripts, killing 1890 jobs across the country, and shutting down two operations in Texas!    ‘Front end’ pharmacy operations in Florida will also lose 400 jobs!  Children’s mental-health facility, Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center in Cape Girardeau, shutting down due to state and federal (Obama Care) taxpayer funding cuts, 95 jobs lost.  Ozarks Community Hospital announced: “…we are laying off as many as 60 employees in 60 days…….Even if Missouri expands Medicaid in the future, it will be virtually impossible for us to recapture this loss of capacity. Hospitals cannot shrink and expand as readily as other industries. I fear that Missouri will never recover the ground it is now losing statewide as a result of political posturing.”-Paul Taylor, CEO

Nevada: The Southern Nevada Health District killing about 60 jobs.  God can’t stop California owned Saint Rose Dominican Hospitals from laying off 40 nurses.  Valley Health laid off 33 employees.

New Hampshire: Japan based Olympus Biotech getting the hell out-a-dodge because of Obama Care. The Japanese owners say it’s not worth it to continue biologics manufacturing, and is selling the factory. Almost 200 jobs lost!

New Jersey: Obama Care medical device tax forces another medical device maker to Mexico. In Totowa, California based CareFusion announced it is killing 390 jobs and moving disposable respiratory products production to Mexico!  Gloucester Manor Rehabilitation and Care killed 130 healthcare jobs!     Kimball Medical Center laid off 73 healthcare workers.  In Plainsboro, medical diagnostics company Abbott Point of Care laid off 80 employees.  Inspira Health Network killed 47 jobs.   In Logan Twonship, McKesson Medical-Surgical healthcare service laid off 140 people!

New York:  The CEO of Kaleida Health and Great Lakes Health Systems quit his job, as other company officials warned of massive job cuts. Hospital officials said they must make drastic changes, because of Obama Care, that will affect its five hospitals and 13-thousand employees!  At the end of 2013 they killed 100 jobs!  Carthage Area Hospital laid off 90 employees, and warned more layoffs are in the works.  Interfaith Medical Center announced it will shutdown and kill 1405 jobs!   In Irving, TLC Health Network/Lake Shore Health Care Center shutdown, 438 healthcare jobs lost!  The North Country Family Health Center (aka North Country Children’s Clinic) laid off five employees.  In Bayside, Saint Mary’s Hospital For Children shutdown, 34 healthcare jobs lost.  In Ticonderoga, Inter-Lakes Health laid off 13 healthcare workers and cut 10 full time jobs to part time. Another ten positions will be eliminated through attrition.  Long Island College Hospital put up for sale, 1400 jobs affected!   Also in Long Island, legal drugs maker Forest Laboratories laying off 20% of employees.  God refused to stop all powerful Obama Care from shutting down Saint Francis Hospital and Health Centers, 1141 jobs lost!   VNS CHOICE Community Care revealed its continued nursing layoffs will make at least 775 healthcare workers unemployed this year! VNS laid off at least 600 healthcare workers last year! Company officials blame new government rules which increase workers comp (paid for by companies) by more than 55%, and on top of that Obama Care drastically cuts payments from Medicare/Medicaid and insurance companies! And what’s really surprising is how many healthcare workers, who’re getting laid off, who don’t understand the whole Obama Care fiasco and how it’s affecting their employer’s ability to pay them!   The Hortense and Louis Rubin Dialysis Centers shutdown, 122 healthcare jobs lost!    In Syracuse, Saint Joseph’s hospital laid off more healthcare workers, this time 26.   Also in Syracuse, Rosewood Heights Health Center shutting down a nursing home laying off at least 156 healthcare workers!  Healthcare contractor IPRO laying off at least 200 employees!   In Uniondale, LabCorp of America Holdings/Dianon Systems Integrated Oncology/Histology shutting down, 24 jobs lost.   In Hornell, God can’t stop all powerful Obama Care from forcing Saint James Mercy Hospital, Mercycare Facility, from shutting down their Ventilator Department, 13 jobs lost.  In Bronx, long term health care provider HHH Choices Health Plan/HHCS shutting down, 152 jobs lost!    In Long Beach, Long Beach Memorial Nursing Home being shutdown and sold off, 372 jobs lost!  The Long Beach Medical Center now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. 285 jobs threatened!  Peconic Bay Medical Center laid off 12 employees, due to declining revenue caused by Obama Care. Hospital officials explained that since the implementation of Affordable Care Act their admissions have dropped at least 8%. This is because Obama Care encourages people not to go to the hospital for care.  In Pomona, Israel based legal drugs pusher Teva Pharmaceuticals laying off 41 employees.  Schenectady Regional Orthopedic Associates shutting down, 79 jobs lost.  Also in Schenectady, Price Chopper killed 80 jobs. Company officials blamed, in part, Obama Care for creating “Skyrocketing health care costs…” for the company.  Adirondack Health killed 18 healthcare jobs, and reduced the hours of 15 others. Hospital officials blamed Obama Care for a $1.2-million drop in funding in 2013, and said it’ll be even worse in 2014!  In Brooklyn, Obama Care killing home healthcare provider 1 Prospect Park Residence, 68 jobs lost. Obama Care killing home healthcare provider Regency Home Care, 259 jobs lost!  In Medina, Baxter Healthcare laid off 91 healthcare workers.   In Gouverneur, Kinney Nursing Home shutting down, 61 jobs lost. Pissed off officials blame Obama Care for the final death blow: “Unfortunately, the harsh realities of today’s healthcare economy prevent a small nursing home like this, in a rural area like ours, from remaining viable any longer. The challenges faced by Kinney Nursing Home are like those confronting nursing homes across the country…..The payments Kinney Nursing Home receives for providing care are far below its operating costs….”-statement from board of directors

In Schenectady, health insurance company MVP Health Care killed 100 jobs! It’s blamed on Obama Care: “The health insurance industry is going through a time of unprecedented change, and we need a streamlined and nimble organization to stay ahead of the curve.”-Denise Gonick, President and CEO

North Carolina:  Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine laid off 35 employees, including seven doctors. The Department of Health and Human Services shutdown three Children’s Developmental Services Agency operations, 170 jobs lost!  All-States Medical Supply  explained that Obama Care cuts government and insurance company reimbursements for their medical supplies by 45%! Medicare audits of their accounting have been increased by 250%!  Such audits place reimbursements in limbo, company officials say two and a half years worth of reimbursements are now on hold until the backlog of Obama Care audits are completed! CEO Marcus Suess described Obama Care as “suicide” for the medical supply industry!   In Charlotte, Massachusetts based inVentiv Medical Management shutting down, at least 50 jobs lost.     High Point Regional UNC Health Care killed 115 jobs! Hospital official, Greg Taylor, blames Obama Care for causing not just insurance reimbursement reductions, but “…admissions decrease….surgical procedures decrease, and we think that is part of where the market is headed. It’s been playing out all across the country.”   Obama Care more powerful than God, as Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center kills 1-thousand jobs, on top of the 950 killed in 2013: “At the end of the day the Affordable Care Act is just reforming payments, it’s not really reforming health care!”-John McConnell, CEO 

Ohio: God can’t stop all powerful Obama Care from killing 131 jobs with non-profit Christian health system, TriHealth (a partnership with Bethesda and Good Samaritan). The SeniorLink Program was also killed. Under Obama Care the program is considered too expensive.    Coshocton Hospital killed 25 healthcare jobs, and closed 22 open positions.  The Toledo Speech and Hearing Center shutdown. 35 employees laid off, 700 patients screwed over!  Hospice of Dayton killed 12 jobs.

Oregon:  In Beaverton, Obama Care medical device tax forcing Greatbatch/Electrochem Solutions to move to Mexcio, 170 jobs lost!  Clackamas County laid off 25 employees from three primary health clinics.

Pennsylvania: Kindred Hospital Easton shutdown, 105 jobs lost!  Kindred Hospital’s North Side facility being sold off, 152 jobs lost! The buyer, LifeCare Hospitals, told news media they have no intention of hiring on the Kindred employees.    Health insurance company, Highmark Blue Shield, killed 132 jobs!  In Exeter Township, after 43 years Surgical Specialties shutting down their medical device factory and moving to Mexico to avoid new Obama Care taxes. 265 jobs lost!  In Erie, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital laid off 18 healthcare workers.  The Crozer Keystone Health System killed 250 healthcare jobs! Officials blamed ObamaCare for a $16-million loss in a seven months period!  Commonwealth Health shutdown the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital’s business office, 87 jobs lost.  In Blue Bell, managed healthcare company Aetna laid off an undisclosed number of employees. It’s part of Aetna’s plan to kill 3-thousand jobs across the U.S. by 2015!  In Nanticoke, Commonwealth Health shutting down and selling off its Special Care Hospital, 130 jobs lost!  Medical device maker Medline Industries is shutting down and moving to New York, 40 jobs lost.   Montgomery County killed 95 healthcare jobs with Abington Health. They blame Obama Care: “Like many other regional health systems, Abington Health is navigating changes in the health-care environment. These changes are numerous, the most significant being the shift in volume from inpatient care to outpatient care and declining reimbursements.”-Laurence M. Merlis, CEO

South Dakota: After 74 years, nonprofit South Dakota CARES (aka South Dakota Society for Crippled Children) shutdown.

Tennessee: The Crittenden Regional Hospital remains shutdown. The official reason is reconstruction after a fire caused massive water damage by the hospital’s anti-fire sprinkler system. However, it’s also been revealed the hospital is $23-million in debt, and Obama Care just might not make it worth rebuilding.  God can’t stop the all powerful Obama Care from killing 75 jobs at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare: “…the current healthcare environment is presenting financial challenges for hospitals across the country….As a result, we are examining ways to reduce costs from our system. We’re finding ways to save through measures such as standardizing medical devices and not filling open positions where it makes sense. But even after making those changes, we still need to find additional ways to reduce costs.”-Gary Shorb, CEO

Texas: In Abilene, God refused to stop non-profit Sears Methodist Retirement Systems from becoming chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The medical housing and care company says it needs $600-thousand right now or it will shut down its 11 centers. 1500 old people and veterans could be affected! Christian officials blamed old people for not being able to pay for the service! (What happened to Obama Care?)  In Georgetown, health clinic operator Lone Star Circle of Care laid off 65 employees. The CEO also quit! The non-profit company provides services to underinsured people.  In El Paso, United Blood Services shutting down their call center, more than 100 jobs lost! Company officials said ObamaCare is forcing them to centralize operations.  In Dallas, Obama Care killed off the Emeritus at Vickery Towers nursing home, 120 jobs lost! Company officials said if it wasn’t for Obama Care they would’ve made needed upgrades to the nursing home.   God refused to stop Good Shepherd Health System from closing the Critical Access Hospital in Linden, as well as a clinic in Linden and a clinic in Hughes Springs. Hospital officials directly blamed Obama Care for causing them to lose $12-million!  In The Woodlands, legal drugs pusher Lexicon Pharmaceuticals laid off 115 people! Company officials say Obama care is forcing them to cut $22-million from their budget! Non-profit Baylor Medical Center at Garland laid off 47 employees.  In Sherman, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital-WNJ laid off 18 employees.

Washington DC: Specialty Hospitals of America now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

West Virginia: Six of the state’s 10 Aging and Disability Resource Centers shutting down! Ass-hole politicians said the old folks homes were not “efficient”.  Wetzel County Hospital laid off eight healthcare workers, cut the hours of 11 others, and will not fill vacant positions.

Wisconsin: In La Crosse, the Mayo Clinic has increased the number of medical transcriptionists to become unemployed, now 188 jobs lost!

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 24 – 25 June 2014: “We did everything right! ….gave 110%…..no one had our backs!” No more Elizabeth Arden? More proof of massive housing market crash! Obama regime kills Montana deputies? Environmentalists kill lumber jobs in Washington! No more Art Institute?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: What housing market recovery?  The Associated General Contractors & Builders reports that 900 construction jobs ceased to exist between May and June!  From May 2013 to May 2014 the state lost 1400 construction jobs!  In Birmingham, Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo NA announced they’re shutting down their commercial real estate loan origination office in July, 468 jobs lost!

Arizona: In Yuma, after 24 years Barenholtz Fine Furniture shutdown.  The owner sold the building and is moving back to Missouri.

California: In Stockton, France based contracted food service and facility management company Sodexo announced more layoffs, this time 73 people will become unemployed in August.  In Oakland, Sears announced they’re shutting down their repair center in August, 75 jobs lost.  In Orange, Obama Care forced Children’s Hospital of Orange County to kill 61 healthcare jobs, with only a couple days notice.   In Chino, biomedical laboratory instruments maker Beckman Coulter shutting down in December, 63 jobs lost.   What automotive industry recovery?  In Carson, U.S. Auto Parts Network announced they’re shutting down their distribution center in August, 78 jobs lost.  San Diego based computer chip maker Entropic Communications laying off 150 employees across the U.S., by September!

Connecticut: In Stamford, legal drugs pusher and maker of evil Oxycontin (which eastern Idaho pharmacists, and law enforcers, have publicly stated turns into morphine in your body) Purdue Pharma laid off 59 people.  Another 41 employees being let go across the U.S.

Georgia: After 27 years upscale snooty elitist Vinings Club restaurant shutdown.  The shutdown was revealed by one of the 871 exclusive members.  40 jobs lost, it’s being blamed on financial reasons which forced the sale of the restaurant.

Idaho: In Pocatello, After less than three months Timberline Home Furnishings-3G Used Car Sales is already busted! The location used to be the Ashley Furniture Liquidation store, which went away in March.

Illinois: In Oak Park, the Mac Specialist store shutdown.   The owners have been struggling ever since an investor backed out in 2013.  In Lake County, legal drugs pusher Abbott Labs laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  The lying company officials said it was necessary to “reduce costs”, but then they turned around and reported the ‘cost cutting’ action was costing them an additional $194-million USD in “charges”.  On top of that, they announced they are buying a Russian company for as much as $495-million in cash plus $136 million in debt!  And on top of that, they bought a Chilean pharmaceutical company for $2.9-billion plus $430-million of debt!  Now we see the real reason they need to “reduce costs”.

Massachusetts: In Leominster, HealthAlliance Hospital revealed that its recently announced Obama Care job cuts will affect 160 healthcare workers!

Michigan: What housing market recovery?  Washtenaw County announced 259 properties to be bundled into 75 tax auctions!  Compare that to 2013 when 186 properties were bundled for auction!

Missouri: In Kansas City,  Barton Nelson died.  The family owned printing company was only 53 years old.  The family owners left this angry message on their phone service; “…being forced to close its doors by our lenders.”

Montana: Powell County laying off two deputies, leaving an area the size of Delaware with only the Sheriff and two deputies!   County officials blame the Obama regime, because promised funding through the Secure Rural Schools Act never came through!

Nevada: Enterprise based Allegiant Air halting all but two flights to Hawaii.  The move will affect airports in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.  Airline officials called it a “seasonal hiatus”.

New Mexico: In Albuquerque, two shopping centers up for auction; Four Hills Village Shopping Center and Riverside Plaza.  The commercial properties were foreclosed, despite having paying tenants.  Does it have something to do with the Albuquerque metropolitan area losing 2700 jobs from May 2013 to May 2014?!

New York: First Avon, now Elizabeth Arden.  The cosmetics maker announced massive layoffs, but refused to give exact numbers.  Arden is also shutting down their Puerto Rico ops, and canceling some perfume contracts.  Just like Avon, Arden is dealing with crashing sales.  In Queensbury, Tribune Media Services laid off about ten employees.  Last month they laid off 25 employees. The Hempstead School District killed 59 education jobs, in a secret vote.  The teachers union went to local news media to report that 47 teachers, 10 teacher assistants and two administrators had received layoff notices.  In May school officials declared many teaching positions were going to be “excessed”, which basically means there’s not enough money to cover them all.  Sterling National Bank announced they are killing 23 jobs statewide in September.  In Orangeburg, DHS Systems announced they are shutting down in September, 30 jobs lost.  The company specializes in portable hospitals.

North Carolina: What housing market recovery?  In Charlotte, Too Big to Jail Bank of America laid off 540 mortgage workers!

Ohio: God can’t stop all powerful Obama Care from killing 131 jobs with non-profit Christian health system, TriHealth (a partnership with Bethesda and Good Samaritan).  The SeniorLink Program was also killed.  Under Obama Care the program is considered too expensive.  What housing market recovery?  A realtor association in Columbus reporting an 11.3% drop in home sales from May 2013 to May 2014.  On top of that eight counties reported their April sales  dropped by 12.5%.  And this is with a reduction in the number of homes available!

Pennsylvania: British empire U.S. taxsucker BAE Systems killing more U.S. jobs, this time 35 people let go in Jessup.  The Sanatoga Kmart shutting down in August, ironically the store was advertising to hire new employees!  According to local news reports it was the property owner that shutdown the store, not Sears Holdings.  However, an unnamed store employee explained the building was owned by Sears Holdings, but the land was not.  The land owner refused to renew the lease.   Pittsburgh based Education Management Corporation (EDMC) laid off 80 HQ employees, and more are expected.  The for profit higher education system (half owned by Goldman-Sachs) operates in the U.S. and Canada through  Argosy University, The Art Institutes (200 employees laid off earlier this year!), Brown Mackie College and South University.  EMDC has been losing money for the past three years due to disappearing students (enrollment dropped almost 10% just from last year).  EMDC is also facing U.S. federal charges for paying recruiters based on student headcount, which is a violation of U.S. education laws.

Tennessee: The Crittenden Regional Hospital remains shutdown.  The official reason is reconstruction after a fire caused massive water damage by the hospital’s anti-fire sprinkler system.  However, it’s also been revealed the hospital is $23-million in debt, and Obama Care just might not make it worth rebuilding.

Texas: In Austin, Massachusetts based life sciences company Thermo Fisher Scientific laid off 115 people!  The work is being transfered to the state of California and the country of Lithuania.

Vermont: In Rutland, after 42 years the Book King shutting down in July.

Virginia: Dance costume maker Wolff Fording & Company killed 47 jobs.  Is that a big deal?  Consider this; there are now only five employees left in the factory that once employed 120!  It turns out the company was sold off earlier in June.  The new controlling owner is a California based vulture capitalist called Vert Capital.  The new owners admitted they didn’t expect to layoff so many people, but the costume maker was in deep trouble that was “not foreseeable at the time of purchase”.   Former employees are pissed: “We’re hurting!  We did everything right!  We showed up, worked hard, gave 110% and then we were kicked out on our butts with the feeling that no one had our backs!”-Shannon McCallister

Washington: British empire Canada based Interfor shutting down a sawmill in Beaver, and a planer in Forks.  90 jobs lost.  Company officials blame it on the bad economy, exacerbated by nut job environmentalist who managed to get a court order blocking the supply of wood!

West Virginia: In Wyoming County, the largest coal mine run by Cliffs Natural Resources shutting down in August, 450 jobs lost!  It’s blamed on crashing coal prices.  However, company officials said “If something happens in the next 60 days we won’t have to take this action.”  County officials are praying that “something happens”, Commissioner Silas Mullins said “We’re going to lose a great deal of money….” which could affect county jobs and cause a death spiral for the local economy.

Wisconsin: In Sheboygan, newly formed geo-imaging company Quantum Spatial laying off 68 employees in August.   Local news media report that company officials refused to explain why.

22 – 23 June 2014: “Our stores never recovered…”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart Closing Update 30 August 2014: $1-billion loss! No more employee healthcare? More shutdowns!

Sears Holdings recently admitted they’ve shutdown 95 stores this year, and will shutdown at least 35 more before the year is up.  However, officials also warned it could be more: “We may close more than the 130 as circumstances may dictate…A list of possible stores is not available.”-Howard Riefs, public relations

This comes after Sears Holdings reported a 2nd quarter loss of $537-million USD (Sears Canada lost $21-million CAD)!  When you add it to the 1st quarter it’s almost a $1-billion loss for the 1st half of 2014!  This makes the 9th quarter of massive losses for Sears-Kmart!

Sears also announced it will stop paying into the retired employee healthcare insurance plan.  14-thousand retired Sears employees will have to make up the difference!

The 33 years old Bronx, New York, Sears will shutdown in November.  Turns out the property was sold off last year.

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why?

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost).

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down in November (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the “pad”.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost).

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) recently revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road!

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, recently revealed Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they’re reporting that the building has just been demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 22 – 23 June 2014: “Our stores never recovered…” No more Avon? Confirmed, no more Motor Trend, Super Chevy or Import Tuner! More jobs going to Mexico! School study blames Obamacare for education cuts!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

It has been confirmed that the publisher of many automotive magazines (Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Camaro Performers, GM Hi-Tech, Super Chevy, Import Tuner, Honda Tuning, Super Street, etc), Source Interlink, killed more than 5-thousand jobs at the end of May!  Those jobs were in California, Florida and Michigan.  The parent company, Source Home Entertainment, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted!  Officials with the publisher-distributor blame e-books and “the continuing overhang of the economic downturn”  creating  a “difficult operating environment”.  Company officials also admitted that hundreds of each magazine issue has had to be destroyed at additional costs, because nobody is buying them!   20 years ago there were about 400 magazine wholesalers in the U.S., with the demise of Source Interlink there are now only two!

California: In Palo Alto, California Pizza Kitchen announced it will shutdown in August, 52 jobs lost.  In Universal City, NBC Universal announced they will kill 113 jobs in August!  What housing market recovery?  In Livermore, roof truss maker MiTek announced they will shutdown in September, 28 jobs lost.

Florida: In Pompano Beach, after 73 years Carl’s Furniture shutdown its last three retail outlets.  At one point Carl’s had 27 stores in Florida and California, with 600 employees: “Our stores never recovered from the 2008 recession back to a profitable level.”– Jeff Baker, owner

Kansas: In Kansas City, after 58 years Lipari Brothers Thriftway grocery store shutdown.  They blame competition from bigger grocery stores.

Massachusetts: Medical device maker Invivo Therapeutics announced they will kill about 1/3 of their jobs.

Nevada: In Las Vegas, after only four years the West Sahara Firefly Tapas and Kitchen Bar shutdown.

New Jersey: Obama Care medical device tax forces another medical device maker to Mexico.  In Totowa, California based CareFusion announced it is killing 390 jobs and moving disposable respiratory products production to Mexico!

New York: NYC based Avon Products killing 600 jobs!  That’s on top of the 1-thousand job cuts announced at the end of 2013!  It’s blamed on the steady decline in sales.  In Syracuse, TV station WCNY laid off seven employees.  The layoffs come after the PBS affiliate moved to a bigger building.  Hypocritically the management said the layoffs were their way of being “fiscally responsible”.   After spending $23-thousand dollars to find out why the Guilderland schools are losing students, the shutdown of Altamont Elementary School is now being discussed.  The study not only confirmed that students have been disappearing since 2008, but predicts the disappearance of students will continue for the next ten years.  The study blamed “Declining community population”, “Declining job market” and “underemployment”, “44% less growth in property values”, as well as blaming the federal government for “Unfunded mandates” and Obama Care for “Increasing health insurance and employee pension costs”!  New York based national retail consulting and investment banking firm, Davidowitz & Associates, said there is no gott damned recovery: “More people are not looking for jobs than have gotten jobs, and the jobs that are available are part time jobs.”-Howard Davidowitz

North Carolina: In Winston-Salem, after 24 years Erickson’s Hush Puppies shoe store shutdown.  The owners blamed it on crashing sales.

Oregon: Roseburg based Umpqua Bank announced it is shutting down 27 offices across Oregon, Washington and California!  It’s blamed on their merger with Sterling Financial.  Bank officials warned more shutdowns are planned for 2015!

Virginia: In Fredericksburg, after 32 years C.I.S. Sportswear shutdown.

West Virginia: Six of the state’s 10 Aging and Disability Resource Centers shutting down!  Ass-hole politicians said the old folks homes were not “efficient”.

20 – 21 June 2014: 9000+ newly unemployed in California! 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security….That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013